As Australia – and the world – collectively attempts to put a lid on coronavirus, it is just as imperative that we individually take care of our mental health as we transition to a life lived primarily indoors.
For many of us, the move from office, school or university has been a big adjustment as we get acquainted with fusing our work and personal worlds. But although being cooped up at home might not seem like an ideal situation, it can become the perfect haven of increased productivity when you add in a healthy dose of plant-y goodness. As always, Plant Life Balance is here with the ultimate guide to making your home office so lush and leafy, you might even be inspired to work from home more often once the crisis is over!
Why plants are the first thing you need to sort out in your home office
It’s been scientifically proven, time and time again, that our little green friends are the little superheroes that we need more than ever during these turbulent times. Not only are they instrumental in improving our mental health and wellbeing, but studies have also shown that there is a steady increase in the ability for us to retain information when we’re interacting with plants. Another study tells us that the productivity in an office worker can be boosted by 15% by making sure they’ve got a plant nearby.
Feeling stressed? Plants take care of that, too. Significant drops in depression, anxiety, anger and fatigue have all been reported when workers have been exposed to plants.
So, naturally, in lieu of long meandering strolls in your local park, plants are the companions you most need by your side as you adjust to working from home.
Which plants should I be looking to add to my home workspace?
There’s no hard and fast rules when it comes to which plants are best suited to sprucing up a work space, as it depend on a few things such as climate, lighting, level of care and if you have kids and pets at home – but we’ve outlined a few suggestions and considerations below. And as always, if in doubt, get in touch with your local Plant Life Balance accredited nursery and have a chat with the experts.
For those whose calendar is a daily game of tetris
If you have a full-on schedule, easy-care plant varieties are the way to go – you’ll get the full health and wellbeing benefits of working from an indoor jungle without having to set a daily reminder to water them. Consider varieties such as:
- Devil’s Ivy
- Heart Leaf Philodendron
- Peace Lily
- Rubber Plant
- Mother in Law’s Tongue
For more easy-care options, check out the ‘Sharehouse Heroes’ look here.
For those that have repurposed a back room or attic
Maybe you’re hiding from the kids (we’re not judging!) or maybe it was the quietest space in the house – but if you’ve set up your home office in a out-of-the-way corner without much sunlight, consider selecting varieties that tolerate low-light conditions, such as:
- Elephant Ear
- Fiddle Leaf Fig
- Night Blooming Cactus
- Rojo Congo
- ZZ Plant
For more low-light tolerant plant varieties, check out the Plant Life Balance ‘Dark Matters’ look here.
For those that have mini-me’s or furry friends
They might occasionally try and sit on your lap during conference calls, but working from home with human and/or fur babies at least ensures that you take regular breaks! If you have small people or pets moving around your home office, look for non-toxic plant varieties such as:
- Maidenhair Fern
- Calathea
- Spider Plant
- Aloe Vera
- Aeonium
For more kid and pet friendly varieties, check out the Plant Life Balance Child’s Play and Best Buds looks.
With life under coronavirus changing very quickly, it’s becoming more and more important that we prioritise making our homes as liveable as possible and ensure we’re interacting with more than just our webcams. Invest in your leafy friends, and they will return the love while you tinker around with your new work-from-home settings.
Get in touch with your nearest Plant Life Balance accredited nursery, and ask about their home delivery options plus any expert tips that they can provide for you about which stress-alleviating, productivity-enhancing beauties would best suit your home set up.
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